Hippo dreams of "a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving."It's not all smooth sailing. Hippo is raking and dreaming of Thanksgiving goodies when Duck plunges into Hippo's leaf pile and musses it up. When a falling apple bonks Hippo on the head and he then gives it to Duck, Duck thanks him, triggering an invitation to celebrate the day together. The two friends go off to shop and find themselves in mishap after mild mishap, meeting friends and inviting them one by one to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Duck engages in mild tomfoolery, but Hippo maintains his genial calm. That evening, Duck goes back to their friends and suggests that they plan a surprise for Hippo. The next day, Hippo prepares a delicious assortment of traditional (all vegetarian) dishes and then waits for his friendswho show up late with their surprise: more food (eggrolls, sushi, pizza, and peanut-butter-and-jelly tacos), which temporarily puts Hippo out because it "is NOT a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving feast!" Hippo rapidly gets over himself, and the friends all have a good time. While the message of enjoying fellowship and valuing each individual's contributions is a worthy one, this meandering tale offers little to chew on in terms of character development or plot. Joyner's anthropomorphic cartoon animals are cheery, but his illustrations do nothing to give London's story any depth.Empty calories. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2-The third book in the series follows serious, industrious Hippo and free-spirited, playful Duck as they prepare for Thanksgiving. Hippo is looking forward to "a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving." Duck is happy to help Hippo with preparations, including inviting their friends Elephant, Turtle, and Pig. On Thanksgiving, Hippo spends the day busily preparing for the dinner. When he is finished, he sits down to wait for his guests to arrive. When they finally do, they each have a surprise for Hippo. Their contributions, however, clash with Hippo's idea of "a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving." In the end, Hippo is able to relax his convictions of what Thanksgiving should be and enjoy his friends for who they are. This message of appreciation fits in well with the Thanksgiving theme. Hippo and Duck both demonstrate patience and compromise in their friendship, even when the differences between the two seem destined to lead to clashes. The cartoon illustrations match well with the playful tone of the story. VERDICT A fun choice where the first two books are popular and wherever friends and family gather.-Kimberly Tolson, Millis Public Library, MA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

There's room for all kinds of traditions during Thanksgiving, London suggests in this third book to feature the unlikely best friends. Hippo is dreaming of an "old-fashioned" Thanksgiving with a harvest meal. Hippo and Duck take an eventful trip to the grocery store, where they run into friends Elephant and Turtle and invite them to come along; later, they ask Pig, who serves them pizza. Dressed in a dapper striped jacket, Hippo whips up pies, acorn squash, and other Thanksgiving staples; meanwhile, Duck plans a Thanksgiving diversion. Readers may worry for Hippo when he finds himself alone at the table, but the friends arrive with an abundance of nontraditional dishes, giving him the opportunity to appreciate his friends just the way they are. Joyner's comedic vignettes convey the odd couple's tender relationship and the contrast between their personalities. Ages 4-7. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.